Bloomington Zoning Ordinance & Downtown Neighborhood District

The City of Bloomington, with the assistance of Houseal Lavigne, underwent the process of creating an entirely new zoning ordinance and map to better align City ordinances with their recently adopted Comprehensive Plan. The new ordinance aims to foster the use and development of land in an orderly manner with consideration given to the City’s social, environmental, economic, and physical development goals and objectives. Through targeted amendments, the City amended district standards and eliminated the majority of nonconforming properties, streamlined district and use standards, enhanced design standards, clarified and modernized administrative procedures, established a new planned development process, and brought the ordinance into compliance with all relevant state and federal regulations.

After the adoption of the zoning ordinance, Houseal Lavigne was retained by the City once again to perform an analysis of the residential areas surrounding their Downtown, develop policy direction for how the neighborhoods should redevelop going forward, and create a new zoning district that balances historic preservation, reinvestment, and gentrification.